MarkoZG Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 Hi, I am looking for useful photos of two special versions of Grumman Hellcat: 1. the aircraft used for torpedo carrying trials 2. Hellcat with Malcolm hood, but with visible serials and other fuselage markings Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fubar57 Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 PM me your email and I'll send you the torpedo version Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 So far I have found written reference to a few FAA Hellcats being fitted with Malcolm hoods, but the only photo I was able to find of an FAA Hellcat showed the installation on a Hellcat II on p193 of Naval Fighters v92 in overall sea blue, but no serial or codes were visible or given. Grumman test pilot Corky Meyer was involved in discussion on this same subject on another modeling site and said there was a single USN example tested that used the standard canopy frame but had a clear blown hood- possibly F6F-3 BuNo 23181, shown on p21 with a blown, frameless hood, but it was in the USN four-color scheme; it was used as the performance prototype for the F6F-5/Hellcat II. There was another photo of an F6F-5 with what looked like a blown hood on p60, BuNo 41588, used for torpedo fropping trials, but it was in USN overall sea blue. Best I can do from my references- sorry it doesn't really help you! Maybe @Tailspin Turtle might be able to help you, or possibly @Bruce Archer Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkoZG Posted January 3, 2020 Author Share Posted January 3, 2020 Thanks Mike. If I understood well, the Hellcat used for torpedo trials was also equiped with Malcolm hood? By posting this question I didn't think my two requests could be combined in the same aircraft. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fubar57 Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 Have a look at this PDF...http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/f6f/f6f-3-41588.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkoZG Posted January 3, 2020 Author Share Posted January 3, 2020 Great find! This looks like frameless hood. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, MarkoZG said: Thanks Mike. If I understood well, the Hellcat used for torpedo trials was also equiped with Malcolm hood? By posting this question I didn't think my two requests could be combined in the same aircraft. Looking at the two photos in the Ginter book, F6F 41588 has a frameless hood, but it's hard to tell by looking at those photos if the hood is blown or just a standard Hellcat hood without the framework. The photo included in fubar57's post does show BuNo 41588 from a better angle, and you can clearly see the canopy is not a blown Malcolm-type, but is a standard hood without any framework. Wish I had more information for you. Mike Edited January 3, 2020 by 72modeler added text, corrected spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailspin Turtle Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 15 hours ago, MarkoZG said: Hi, I am looking for useful photos of two special versions of Grumman Hellcat: 1. the aircraft used for torpedo carrying trials 2. Hellcat with Malcolm hood, but with visible serials and other fuselage markings Thanks in advance https://tailhooktopics.blogspot.com/2020/01/f6f-hellcat-wf-torpedo-and-frameless.html 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tailspin Turtle Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 There was an earlier torpedo trial with one of the early F6Fs. I've added a picture of the torpedo installation to the link above. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pat d Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 (edited) Hopefully this will maybe add a bit of information if you have not seen these: The bottom one in FAA service seem to have a name below the windscreen. Edited January 3, 2020 by pat d 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
72modeler Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 @pat d, That photo of BuNo 25881 was the one I remembered seeing but could not find again- thanks for finding and posting it- that would make such a neat modeling project! Mike 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Troy Smith Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 19 hours ago, MarkoZG said: 2. Hellcat with Malcolm hood, but with visible serials and other fuselage markings there was this thread ages ago, most of the pics have gone, but does list serials You could always ask for pics to be replaced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busnproplinerfan Posted January 3, 2020 Share Posted January 3, 2020 Don't know anything about Hellcats, but I did notice in the photo of the front, you can see the camo schemes from the wing to the center section don't line up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkoZG Posted January 4, 2020 Author Share Posted January 4, 2020 (edited) Thank you all for your great help! I got much more than expected and learned many new things. I never knew there was more than one Hellcat used with torpedo trials and I also didn't know about the unframed canopy which is not Malcolm type. Now if only there could be other photo of this early F6F-3 with torpedo to reveal the aircraft's number and any other possible marking... And the last question - is the torpedo shown on the photos available in 1/72nd scale, either as an aftermarket item or part of some kit? Edited January 4, 2020 by MarkoZG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 7 hours ago, busnproplinerfan said: you can see the camo schemes from the wing to the center section don't line up. In this camo scheme, the middle side portion of the fuselage would be intermediate blue colour, you can see this on the sides of the cowling. Behind this, it appears to be discoloured by the exhaust fumes but seems to be reappearing above the undercarriage leg. The wings at this point would be in non-specular & semi gloss sea blue, a similar dark shade, the first is what should be seen on the wing leading edge, the upper surface of which will form a hard demarcation between the fuselage & wing top surface. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busnproplinerfan Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 14 minutes ago, stevehnz said: In this camo scheme, the middle side portion of the fuselage would be intermediate blue colour, you can see this on the sides of the cowling. Behind this, it appears to be discoloured by the exhaust fumes but seems to be reappearing above the undercarriage leg. The wings at this point would be in non-specular & semi gloss sea blue, a similar dark shade, the first is what should be seen on the wing leading edge, the upper surface of which will form a hard demarcation between the fuselage & wing top surface. Steve. I'm looking at the leading edge of the wing at the fold line, that where you are right? Black and white pics are fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevehnz Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 Right, ok, my misunderstanding but to my eye a minor inaccuracy, perhaps a swapped out wing from another aircraft, who can be sure. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busnproplinerfan Posted January 4, 2020 Share Posted January 4, 2020 (edited) 11 hours ago, stevehnz said: Right, ok, my misunderstanding but to my eye a minor inaccuracy, perhaps a swapped out wing from another aircraft, who can be sure. Steve. Ya, who knows. This plane is very unique from what I'm reading about it. Just one of the things to mess with judges at a model contest, at least there's proof. "That's not right" "never had that" "they never did that" "maybe was a special project" Edited January 4, 2020 by busnproplinerfan 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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